NADRA is set to deploy Biometric Verification System for sale of new SIMs, said a statement issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
Statement said that NADRA has prepared Biometric Verification System for Telecom operators, all preparations for Biometric Verification Systems have been carried out and NADRA is ready for launch from 28th February, 2013.
In this regard, NADRA has demonstrated its services and applications to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Cellular Mobile Operators including representatives of Mobilink, Telenor, Ufone, Warid and Zong.
Proof of concept has been carried out with some telecom operators and a draft contract has already been forwarded containing minute details of operations.
NADRA has proposed flexible architecture to telecom industry with its recommendations on basis of security and performance.
NADRA has requested Telecom operators to finalize contract and deployment plans so that target date of 28th February, 2013 is achieved amicably.
Teleom industry had previously shown concerns regarding the deployment of biometric verification system.
Cellular companies are of the view that each mobile phone company will have to invest at least Rs. 500 million (or Rs. 2.5 billion in total) to deploy biometric solution, that too for just their service centres, franchises and 10,000 retail outlets, as compared to 200,000 retail outlets that were previously operational.
All this investment is likely to go into NADRA’s pockets as evidently they are going to deploy the solution for telcos, despite, there are other solutions available in the market which claim to be cheaper (in terms of price) than the one quoted by NADRA.
There are voices which suggest that deployment of new system for sale of new SIMs is just designed to benefit NADRA.
The new verification system will require each citizen to approach retailer, franchisee or Customer Service Centers of Cellular Operators personally and provide his/her fingerprints for authentication against CNIC data held with NADRA. On successful transaction, SIM will be activated. All this operation will be performed online and will take 15 seconds end to end.
Moreover, security related segments believe that such measures will help Government of Pakistan to curb use of illegally issued SIMs for terrorism, extortion and street crimes. Pakistan has significantly high cellular density in the country.
Although, it has changed the dynamics of communication means, yet their misuse has created security risk. Prior to Biometric Verification Services, methods adopted to regulate SIM issuance were prone to frauds. Now, with fingerprint matching facility, it is expected that same will bring authenticity and will reduce the risk of SIM issuance against fake identity to almost zero.
rehman malik kuch bhi kar lay pakistanyoon say jeet nahin saktay bachoon wali harkatay karta hay har bar.
Telecom Operators should use this as a great opportunity to build Secure Payment Services.
If NADRA opens the Fingerprint Verification API for other services, imagine it being used over Retailers to verify Payments. Easypaisa, Waseela, TimePey, Omni, upcoming Ufone Rozgar and the entire MicroFinancing industry can take off!
This has the potential be the most secure way of mobile payments.
Couple this with an escrow service and you have solved the biggest problem for online businesses; “Trust”! Seller gets the money through an escrow if the buyer approves of the merchandise and accepts the shipment.
A Clean easy to use and secure P2P payment channel is only the need of time. Kyn kay OLX pe sab bikta hai
SIM bechnay k lia NADRA contract lata hai lakin Election k lia kuin nahien Bio-metric verification System lagata ????
Simple answer: It will cost a lot to cover the entire country with bio-metric systems. Each polling station having its own bio-metric verification system requires huge money and our ‘current’ Government is poor. So its a no go, of course I will also love to see that but its not feasible at the moment at least.
for those who cry for alternative solution are questioned… with which data these systems will Cross Match… definitely with some existing record which is held at NADRA data center only… the problem is not with solution… it is very easy to use any ready made fingerprint matching solution.. i daily put my bio-metric attendance which takes only 3 seconds to appear my name… the same system is successfully tested by NADRA during BISP programs where it took only seconds to verify the finger prints of eligible BISP applicants….
Appreciated Work. !!
MY dear brothers if you search a bio metric device via web you can find it in around 40 $s now suppose if govt want to buy 100,000 then the total amount is 4,000,000$ (4 Million $) which is 400 Million or 40 crore in pak rupees which is not a big deal for govt
and even suppose if you want to purchase 1 million units then in pak rupees it will cost 4 billion and even in this amount the device supplier will make a free online application or software for your own purpose
Please note that if (federal govt can spend 72 billion on benazir income support and Punjab govt can spend 30 Billion on metro bus just only for Lahore then 4 billion is like a peanut)
just use it for election purpose and then deploy these for sim activation and can also be used for financial transactions like easy paisa, u paisa, timepey, ubl omni and as well as for Remittances purposes
and the another idea is you can update your NIC information via this devices from any NADRA outlet if NADRA want
Many other things can be done through this device but the main thing is that you should have some idea and the important one is the willingness and sincerity with the country
By …. Imran Khan Afridi
1 NIC pr kiti sim khrid sakty hen